42.3k views
3 votes
In a thermostat, what property of the bimetallic coil allows it to contract and expand? The two metals absorb different amounts of thermal energy. The two metals are placed perpendicular to each other. The two metals burn at different temperatures. The two metals turn into liquids when absorbing energy.

User Dahui
by
6.1k points

2 Answers

1 vote

Answer:

The two metals absorb different amounts of thermal energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Temperature controlling device in an electric equipment like a heater, is called a thermostat.

A bimetallic strip contains two different metals. Each metal has its own characteristic property of expansion or cooling. Coefficient of thermal expansion has a different value for different metals.

The metal that has a higher expansion coefficients will expand more when heated, compared to the metal that has a lower coefficient of expansion.

In a thermostat used in a heating circuit, the electric contact is cut off due to the bending of the bimetallic strip, when the desired temperature is reached.

User Srinisunka
by
5.4k points
6 votes
Hello!

In a thermostat, the property of the bimetallic coil that allows it to contract and expand is that The two metals absorb different amounts of thermal energy.

This bimetallic coil is used to transform thermal energy into mechanical movement. Two metals with different thermal expansivity are joined together parallelly and the changes of temperature cause bending in different directions depending on if the temperature is rising or descending.

The differences in the thermal energy absorption of the two metals are the basis for the mechanism of this device.
User Gil Sousa
by
5.9k points